Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning
Upright Keywords
Reversed Keywords
Five of Cups depicts a cloaked figure fixated on three spilled cups while ignoring two still standing. It symbolises regret and disappointment, focusing on what’s gone rather than what remains. This card urges you to acknowledge grief but also turn toward hope. Reversed, it suggests healing, forgiveness, and renewed optimism.
Five of Cups Imagery and Symbolism
In the Rider-Waite-Smith Five of Cups, a cloaked figure stands in mourning before three overturned cups. Their head is bowed, suggesting deep regret. Behind them, two cups remain upright, unnoticed. A river flows through the scene with a bridge crossing it, and a distant building symbolises potential refuge. The contrast between what’s lost and what’s still available is central to the image.
Pamela Colman Smith’s illustration uses stark colours to emphasise emotion. The cloak is black, representing sorrow, while the sky is grey and barren. The red wine spilled from the cups stands out against the muted landscape. Smith deliberately positions the remaining cups behind the figure, hinting that hope and support exist even if unseen. The distant bridge invites movement toward healing.
For me, Five of Cups highlights the importance of shifting focus. It reminds you that fixating on past mistakes keeps you rooted in grief. The imagery encourages turning around to see the resources that remain. Healing requires acknowledging loss while choosing to cross the bridge toward new connections and opportunities.
Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning Upright
Regret
Regret is the heart of Five of Cups. This keyword acknowledges the sorrow you feel over what’s gone wrong. It reminds you that mistakes and losses are part of life. Instead of dwelling indefinitely, use regret as a teacher. Learn, forgive yourself, and turn toward what still nourishes you.
Disappointment
Disappointment speaks to the let-down you feel when expectations aren’t met. In Five of Cups, it’s represented by spilled cups and hunched posture. This keyword invites you to honour those feelings without letting them consume you. Accept what didn’t work and open yourself to new possibilities waiting behind you.
Pessimism
Pessimism describes the habit of focusing on what’s wrong. In Five of Cups, staring at spilled cups keeps you from seeing the full ones. This keyword warns that negativity can blind you to opportunity. Challenge those thought patterns; practise gratitude and aim your attention at what is still possible.
Five of Cups Upright in Love and Relationships Readings
In love, Five of Cups suggests you’re consumed by heartbreak or disappointment. You may dwell on what went wrong and ignore opportunities for healing or new connections. This card invites you to grieve but also to notice support still available. Focusing on potential instead of loss can reopen your heart.
Five of Cups Upright in Self-Care and Empowerment Readings
For self‑care, Five of Cups asks you to honour your grief without letting it define you. Allow yourself to mourn losses, then gently redirect attention to what supports you. Gratitude practices can help shift perspective. Self‑compassion and support from others can fill the remaining cups you’ve overlooked.
Five of Cups Upright in Career and Creativity Readings
In career, Five of Cups reflects disappointment over lost opportunities or failed projects. You might fixate on mistakes and overlook lessons or new openings. This card urges you to acknowledge your feelings but then shift focus to what can still be built. Resilience and adaptability are key to moving forward.
Five of Cups Upright in Life Changes and Shadow Work Readings
In times of change, Five of Cups reminds you to acknowledge losses and process regret. Don’t ignore what hurts, but don’t let it paralyse you either. This card invites you to recognise what is still possible and to cross the bridge toward new experiences. Growth requires looking forward.
Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning Reversed
Overcoming Regret
Overcoming Regret signals that healing is underway. Reversed Five of Cups shows you letting go of past mistakes and forgiving yourself. This keyword encourages focusing on the present and what you’ve learned. It’s about transforming sorrow into wisdom and using that insight to build a hopeful future.
Finding New Hope
Finding New Hope reflects the moment when you turn around and see the cups still upright. In the reversed Five of Cups, possibilities start to appear again. This keyword invites optimism and trust. Allow yourself to believe that joy and connection are still possible; a new chapter is starting.
Letting Go
Letting Go urges you to release the pain and attachments that keep you rooted in the past. Reversed Five of Cups suggests readiness to forgive and move on. This keyword encourages you to free space for new experiences by consciously closing a chapter. Liberation comes when you stop clinging.
Five of Cups Reversed in Love and Relationships Readings
Reversed, Five of Cups indicates you’re ready to release old wounds and invite love back in. You’ve processed the hurt and can now see who or what still stands beside you. This card encourages forgiveness and self‑compassion. Be brave enough to trust again; hope is returning.
Five of Cups Reversed in Self-Care and Empowerment Readings
Reversed Five of Cups in self‑care indicates you’re ready to move beyond sadness. Healing work has begun to free energy trapped in regret. This card encourages focusing on what nurtures you now. Celebrate small joys, practise forgiveness, and allow yourself to feel hopeful again; renewal is within reach.
Five of Cups Reversed in Career and Creativity Readings
Reversed, Five of Cups signals recovery after setbacks at work. You’ve processed regret and are ready to look for new possibilities. This card encourages you to forgive past mistakes, apply what you’ve learned, and seize the two cups still full. Optimism can reopen doors that seemed closed.
Five of Cups Reversed in Life Changes and Shadow Work Readings
Reversed during change, Five of Cups indicates you’re beginning to release the past. You’re finding hope and courage to move forward. Shadow work focuses on forgiving yourself and others, allowing lightness to return. Embrace the lessons learned and step toward new opportunities with an open heart.
Five of Cups: Conflict and Change
Fives in tarot are associated with conflict, challenge, and change. They represent moments of instability and disruption that force you to adapt and grow. Fives encourage resilience and the ability to navigate through difficulties, transforming challenges into opportunities for personal growth and development.
Five of Cups: Emotional Depth and Relationships
The Suit of Cups explores the emotional and relational aspects of life. It delves into the full range of human emotions, from joy and love to sorrow and heartbreak. Cups cards are about relationships and emotional intelligence, encouraging you to foster genuine connections and understand your emotional landscape.
Five of Cups in the Minor Arcana
The Minor Arcana encompasses the everyday moments, emotions, and actions that shape our lives. This 56-card section is divided into four suits: Pentacles, Cups, Wands, and Swords. Each represents a different energy or aspect of life. Unlike the Major Arcana, which focuses on grand spiritual journeys, the Minor Arcana offers a more grounded perspective, dealing with the practicalities of daily existence.
Through these suits, you explore personal growth, relationships, and material success. The Minor Arcana provides a framework for navigating life’s complexities, offering insights into the ups and downs we all face. As you journey through this section, remember to connect with the themes in a way that resonates with your unique path.
Five of Cups and the Element of Water
Five of Cups is connected to the element of Water, representing the realm of emotions, intuition, and the subconscious. Water speaks to the depths of our inner worlds, inviting us to explore feelings and the flow of human experience. This element suggests a journey beneath the surface, where dreams, instincts, and emotional currents shape our understanding. Water encourages connection with the softer, more fluid parts of ourselves, embracing vulnerability and compassion.
Five of Cups Journalling Prompts
What past hurts or regrets am I holding onto, and how can I begin to release them?
Where can I find forgiveness for myself or others, and how might this bring me peace?
What lessons can I learn from my past disappointments, and how can I apply them moving forward?
Frequently Asked Questions about Five of Cups
What does Five of Cups mean in a tarot reading?
Five of Cups represents loss, regret, and disappointment. It often appears when you’re grieving a relationship, project, or belief. The card invites you to honour those emotions, but also to notice the remaining cups. Healing comes from acknowledging what’s still present and gradually turning toward new possibilities.
How can Five of Cups guide me in healing from emotional loss?
Five of Cups guides healing by encouraging you to feel your grief and accept it without judgement. It advises naming your feelings, mourning what’s gone, and then shifting focus to the cups still upright. Engaging with supportive people, gratitude practices, and forgiveness helps transform sorrow into resilience and hope.
Is Five of Cups a yes or no card?
Five of Cups leans toward no, reflecting sadness and disappointment. It warns that now may not be the best time for big commitments. You need space to process feelings and heal. Once you’ve honoured your grief and regained hope, the answer can shift toward a cautious yes.
What is the role of the Five of Cups in the tarot deck?
Five of Cups acts as a teacher of emotional resilience. Its role is to guide you through grief, regret, or disappointment. It shows that dwelling on losses keeps you stuck, and invites you to face feelings honestly. By doing so, you make space for healing and future joy.
What does the Five of Cups symbolise?
Five of Cups symbolises sorrow and the tendency to focus on losses. In Pamela Colman Smith’s illustration, the hunched figure and spilled cups depict grief. The upright cups and bridge symbolise remaining resources and pathways forward. The card urges you to recognise both pain and possibility.
What does Five of Cups suggest about navigating life’s challenges?
Five of Cups suggests that acknowledging your feelings is essential when facing challenges. Denying grief only prolongs it. Accept losses, and then look around to see what opportunities remain. By combining honesty about your pain with optimism about what’s left, you can move through difficulties gracefully.
Is Five of Cups a positive or negative card?
Five of Cups is generally negative because it highlights loss and regret. However, it contains a hopeful lesson: two cups still stand and a bridge remains. The card teaches that from the ashes of disappointment, new connections and insights can grow if you’re willing to turn around.
How does Five of Cups align with themes of love?
In love, Five of Cups highlights heartbreak, regret, or disappointment. It encourages you to process pain, but not to close off. The card aligns with healing by urging forgiveness and encouraging you to see the potential for new connections or renewed trust in existing ones once grief has subsided.
What are some other names for Five of Cups?
Depending on the deck, Five of Cups may appear as Five of Chalices, Five of Water, or Lord of Loss in Pleasure. These names emphasise the card’s focus on emotional turmoil and disappointment. Whatever it’s called, the essence remains: grief, regret, and the potential for renewal.
What other tarot cards often appear with Five of Cups?
Five of Cups may accompany Death to underscore transformation, The Star to offer hope, or The Moon to explore hidden emotions. Temperance can also appear, emphasising balance in healing. Together, these cards show that grief opens the door to renewal, hope, and deeper understanding.
